Volunteering is going down the pan

[Justinian]

As some here may know, when I recently 'retired' due to ill-health I began volunteering in my local community. It was good, then OK, and now horrible. I mean my behaviour has become horrible. I have become withdrawn and uncommunicative. When a colleague approaches me, I PANIC: my heart races, my breathing becomes shallow, my mind races and I can no longer control it to think about what to say, the whole world ceases to exist and only my colleague and I exist and I am like prey and my colleague is the predator (it's like the movie Alien Vs Predator). I can't enter the staff room because it makes me nervous and it is very small and there are always people in there talking and eating lunch. Visitors scare me. No one has given me an Xmas card and if they did I wouldn't know how to react.

[Bigboyuk]

As some here may know, when I recently 'retired' due to ill-health I began volunteering in my local community. It was good, then OK, and now horrible. I mean my behaviour has become horrible. I have become withdrawn and uncommunicative. When a colleague approaches me, I PANIC: my heart races, my breathing becomes shallow, my mind races and I can no longer control it to think about what to say, the whole world ceases to exist and only my colleague and I exist and I am like prey and my colleague is the predator (it's like the movie Alien Vs Predator). I can't enter the staff room because it makes me nervous and it is very small and there are always people in there talking and eating lunch. Visitors scare me. No one has given me an Xmas card and if they did I wouldn't know how to react. Hi Justinian that feels exactly the same as I did when working at TK Max (horrible place) there was big staff room you go in every single person was talking away and laughing etc I used to stand in by the door with a cuppa or go out side for smoke on my own So understand totally :) With me iam normally very chatty etc but I too have retreated back in my shell it's safer there in some respects So at the moment very much alone which hurts big time! Thanks for reading :)

[Justinian]

Hi Justinian that feels exactly the same as I did when working at TK Max (horrible place) there was big staff room you go in every single person was talking away and laughing etc I used to stand in by the door with a cuppa or go out side for smoke on my own So understand totally :) With me iam normally very chatty etc but I too have retreated back in my shell it's safer there in some respects So at the moment very much alone which hurts big time! Thanks for reading :)

The staff room where I volunteer is tiny. It has a kitchen sink and work surface at one side and a few chairs at the other. It is about 10 feet by 8 feet or something.

Why have you retreated into your shell? When did this happen?

I don't like that shop either. People obsessed with labels, logos and brand names before quality or value. I'll have a look occasionally, but I agree with you. In general, people who want to spend £80 on a Fred Perry polo shirt are welcome to it! I'll buy one for £10.

[Bigboyuk]

The staff room where I volunteer is tiny. It has a kitchen sink and work surface at one side and a few chairs at the other. It is about 10 feet by 8 feet or something.

Why have you retreated into your shell? When did this happen?

I don't like that shop either. People obsessed with labels, logos and brand names before quality or value. I'll have a look occasionally, but I agree with you. In general, people who want to spend £80 on a Fred Perry polo shirt are welcome to it! I'll buy one for £10.
Hi was messaging some one! About 3 years ago! It wasn't a shop I worked in big warehouse m8 so you can imagine the canteen at dinner break lol Did my head in loads